Provenance

Johannes Henoch Marais (1851-1915). Jannie Marias was born on the farm Coetzenberg, now the sports grounds of Stellenbosch University. He made his money by diamond delving operations on the Vaal River and at Kimberley. He and his brothers owned substantial interests in De Beers Consolidated Mines after the consolidation of mining activities in Kimberley. In 1892 he returned to Coetzenburg. He was an active politician and promoter of the Afrikaans language. He was instrumental in the formation of Die Burger. More famously he is known as the main initial benefactor of the Stellenbosch University. "The creation of a university at Stellenbosch was made possible by Mr Jan Marais of Coetzenburg; to the cause of higher education at Stellenbosch, he had magnanimously bequeathed the sum of 100 000." Landmarks of the University include, the JS Marais Square, affectionately call the Red Square and named after Jannie Marais. He was married to Elizabeth Deborah (nee de Villiers), sister of the current owner's Great Grandfather, Senator Wilhelm Bruckner de Villiers. Having no descendants, Jannie and Bessie Marias bequeathed funds to various good causes like the Institute for Deaf & Blind in Worcester and the Children's house in Cape Town. He also left a trust "Het Jan Marais Nationale Fonds" which still supports many organisations with funding. The Elizabeth Marais Bursary is also still in existence at Stellenbosch University.

Literature

cf. Stephan Welz, Cape Silver and Silversmiths, Balkema, Cape Town, 1976, page 75, where a similar example by Gerhardus Lotter is illustrated